Here’s where candidates for offices at stake in the March 18 primary election are appearing this week:

STATE TREASURER, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

■ The Peoria ...

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THE BALLOT BOX

Here’s where candidates for offices at stake in the March 18 primary election are appearing this week:

STATE TREASURER, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

■ The Peoria County Republican Women will host a luncheon with guest speakers Bob Grogan, candidate for state treasurer, and Evelyn Sanguinetti, candidate for lieutenant governor, on Wednesday at Barrack’s Cater Inn, 1224 W. Pioneer Parkway. The meet and greet will begin at 11:30 a.m. and lunch will be at noon. Cost is $15 per person. For reservations, send email to pcrw@comcast.net. For information, call 689-8467.

ELECTRIC AGGREGATION

■ An informational meeting for the residents of Cuba regarding the electric aggregation will be at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Cuba Community Center, 616 E. Polk St., Cuba.

TAZEWELL DEMOCRATS

■ The Tazewell Democrats will host a ham and beans luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the UAW Hall, 3025 Springfield Road, East Peoria. All candidates have been invited to attend. Tickets are $6 for adults and $2.50 for children, serving hot dogs and chips. For information, call 363-3366.

The Ballot Box is a weekly listing of election-related events. Deadline to submit information for Monday publication is by noon Thursday. Notices should include candidates attending and political offices sought, or referendums proposed, as well as time and place of the event. Email notices to Mickey Wieland at mwieland@pjstar.com or send faxes to 686-3296. To confirm arrivals, call 686-3246.

That’s something Peoria residents are going to have to determine regarding two revenue-enhancement proposals city officials offered last week.

A deal to extend to 20 years the interval on the city’s option to purchase the water utility would mean additional expense for residents and businesses. How much additional expense might not be obvious right now, despite figures the city has revealed.

The 3 percent franchise fee that is part of the agreement means the average residential customer of Illinois American Water will pay an extra $1.33 monthly, according to city officials. That money amounts to about $1 million per year.

But Illinois American is on the hook for about another $1.45 million annually in work-permit fees. That’s what the water company pays the city for infrastructure access, among other things. Currently, Illinois American pays work-permit fees of about $280,000 per year.

It’s difficult to imagine Illinois American will pay that extra $1.2 million out of the kindness of its corporate heart.

City Manager Patrick Urich said there’s nothing that would prevent the water company from going to the Illinois Commerce Commission to request a rate increase. Karen Cotton, an Illinois American spokeswoman, stated her firm wouldn’t seek a hike solely for the Peoria franchise agreement.

Cotton did state permit fees and the like statewide are incorporated into infrastructure surcharges and base rates and could be included in future rate requests.

The door — perhaps the back one — appears open, perhaps, to this deal costing more than an extra buck or so per month per residential customer.

Less than six hours after the water-buyout agreement was revealed publicly, City Council members and municipal public-works employees discussed a possible storm-water utility fee. The average monthly fee of about $4.50 per household would go toward rehabilitating the city’s aging storm-water collection system.

Such repairs are laudable and appear necessary. But when discussing how a charge might be implemented and assessed, Public Works Director Mike Rogers bristled at the mention of the word “tax.” He didn’t use it.

In reality, however, a tax is what it would be.

It’s likely to be another 18 months before a storm-water utility charge becomes more tangible. But the water company franchise fee is imminent, if the council votes March 25 to approve the agreement.

Prior to that, the city is conducting two forums to gauge public support. They’re set for 10 a.m. Saturday at the Peoria Public Library North Branch and 6 p.m. March 19 at the Gateway Building.

Even if they can’t attend the forums, it would behoove Peorians who use water — that’s everybody, right? — to let their elected and appointed officials know what they think.

Page 2 of 2 - Urich and others have stated repeatedly the need for infrastructure improvements, which the water money would finance. A quick drive around the city reveals that to be true. But there also needs to be truth in taxation — or whatever you want to call it. (N.V.)

Learning from history

File this under “once burned, twice shy.”

When the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced March 4 that the state’s appeal of funding for local governments affected by the Nov. 17 tornadoes had been denied, it took Gov. Pat Quinn’s office less than 12 hours to announce a $45 million aid package from (mostly) state funds.

“It actually started when the first tornado hit ... on Nov. 17,” Quinn spokesman Dave Blanchette told us Friday in response to our query. “We learned our lesson following the tragedy in Harrisburg.”

In that instance from 2012, the feds also denied a request and appeal for local government assistance, requiring the state to step in. Having happened once already, it was sensible of state officials to anticipate it could happen again and to direct agency officials to be creative if possible in finding ways to steer funds. (C.K.)

Time and place

Quinn’s news conference announcing that $45 million in aid was notable for two things: the chill in the air from the brisk and steady wind, and two protesters who seemed determined to pull politics into what has thus far been a commendably apolitical process.

They were advocates of Quinn’s underfunded, under-recognized, underwhelming primary challenger, Tio Hardiman, the former director of anti-violence CeaseFire efforts in Chicago, and they jeered the governor for his lack of willingness to debate his opponent before the March 18 primary. They also shouted slogans and questions over the heads of media members during Quinn’s presentation.

Look, anyone can protest at any time, and that’s the glory of America. But the message here could’ve been conveyed in a less disruptive way. Voters can decide whether a campaign that has advocates making a scene in a disaster recovery zone is one they want to support. (C.K.)